Re-Centering

What is the center of your life? Is it family, your job, your sports team, money, possessions? There are so many things that vie for our allegiance. And more than that, not only our allegiance, but our ownership. I once heard someone say, “Whatever we own, owns us”. That is true in so many aspects.

A book I received quite a while back has been slowly helping me re-center on what is the core of my whole life. This book is titled, “The Gospel as Center”. It is a collaboration of essays by a great set of minds and thinkers in the evangelical (and overall reformed) world. This book builds a theological foundation on what is essentially the core of all aspects of theology, the Gospel. One thing I enjoyed most about this book was seeing the way the different writers tackled each subject. I love when great minds come together and tackle a project with a mission of proclaiming the Gospel.

This book may be a little technical and academic in some areas. Therefore, its readership may not reach a big audience, but it probably deserve to be read and read slowly by all of us that are constantly battling relativism in ministry and mainstream life.

 

Men and Church

Men like doing stuff. They love to build and repair. They love to do manly stuff. Unfortunately, church is one of the areas of life where men do not like going or being a part of. In a book titled “Why Men Hate Going to Church” David Murrow helps explain why men have this ambivalent feeling towards church.

This book will help anyone involved in men’s ministry or just concerned about men in their church understand them a little better. Part 2 of the book begins to really delve deep into what men dislike about the church experience. It can be eye opening and make anyone involved in ministry reassess how they are doing things.

The final section of the book is the most practical. It deals mainly with getting men excited about church. This is important because as the leaders in their own families, men have the power to influence their children’s experience at church.

This is an important book to read. It deserves a place on any pastor’s shelf who is concerned about reaching, keeping and ministering to the men in their congregation.

Loving Boldly

Love is…I’m sure most of us could quote the verse by heart. I had it read at my wedding as part of the ceremony. Unfortunately, I think a lot of us can be guilty of separating Christ from this chapter on love. I can recall many weddings where this was read and the bride and groom were not believers. This love is only real love if it is biblical and Christ centered.

This is the premise behind Phil Ryken’s new book “Loving the way Jesus Loves”. First of all, I love the title because it indicates that Christ is alive and present right now modeling love for us. That is a refreshing reality.

This is a great book for every believer to read. I am always challenge by the words of God. This book is based on those words and seeks to bring them glory and make Christ a masterpiece for the believer to gaze upon.